Fred Astaire

Actor / Dancer

Born: 10 May 1899

Died: 22 June 1987 (pneumonia)

Birthplace: Omaha, Nebraska

Best known as: Hollywood's most famous dancer

Name at birth: Frederick Austerlitz

Fred Astaire was the American movie dancer of the 1930s and 1940s. Famed for his mixture of elegance and nice-guy charm, he was a popular romantic lead despite his lack of typical movie star good looks. His dance routines are a staple of movie highlight reels. He was often paired with dancing actress Ginger Rogers; their movies together included Flying Down to Rio (1933), Top Hat (1935), and Swing Time (1936).

Extra credit:

Astaire was nominated for a Best Supporting Actor Oscar for his non-dancing appearance in the 1974 disaster film The Towering Inferno.